Police: Man attempting to hold-up Platte County gas station connected to string of robberies

It happened about 1 a.m. at the Shell gas station located at 5401 NW 64th Terrace. (KCTV5)

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -

Authorities in Platte County are searching for an armed man who they believe tried to rob a gas station early Wednesday morning and is responsible for a string of other gas station robberies in the area.

It happened about 1 a.m. at the Shell gas station located at 5401 NW 64th Terrace.

Police say the man was armed with a handgun and that he matches the description of a man who recently robbed gas stations in Platte County, MO and Lees Summit, MO.

The store's manager says a female employee, working her first overnight shift, was held-up by the suspect. He says the man went in and out of the store several times before entering the store with a gun. The female employee hit the panic button several times and refused to give the suspect any money.

A customer then pulled into the parking lot, causing the suspect to run from the area.

Nothing was taken from the gas station.

The station's manager says he plans to make changes. He says in the past 10 months the store has had zero incidents, but then in the last two weeks, he says there have been two.

Officers say there were surveillance cameras at the gas station and that they will use those in their investigation.

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

The stepmother of a missing Wichita boy has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail, our CBS affiliate KWCH is reporting. Lucas Hernandez, 5, has been missing since last Saturday. Emily Glass, 26, was booked into prison shortly before 3:30 p.m. Police say the child endangerment charges are related to new information in the case. The search for Hernandez remains on-going, according to police. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Emergen...More >

The government in the state of Kansas will be closed at midnight through late Thursday afternoon due to a winter storm forecast. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered all of the state's agencies to close beginning at midnight until 5 p.m. on Thursday. Additional closings. Copyright 2018 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.

The government in the state of Kansas will be closed at midnight through late Thursday afternoon due to a winter storm forecast. Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer ordered all of the state's agencies to close beginning at midnight until 5 p.m. on Thursday. Additional closings. Copyright 2018 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.